Sunday, March 12, 2017

Why is SNL news?

Every Sunday I look at the news on Google, and every Sunday one of the news items is what was on Saturday Night Live the night before. I can understand people being interested in this, but not THAT interested. Was The Carol Burnett Show ever news?

But, then again, some major events of my life were things I happened to see on TV. Think of all the people who remember where they were when they learned Kennedy was killed---most of them were watching TV. I had a teacher who, as a child, ran into the kitchen to tell her mother that she just saw Lee Harvey Oswald shot by Jack Ruby on live television. Her mother said, "No, no, honey---President Kennedy was shot," and wouldn't believe her.

I'll never forget the time I was in the living room playing on the floor with my airplanes. The TV was on. They interrupted the program with a special news bulletin. George Wallace had been shot.

The reporter said gravely that there was a man there wearing McGovern buttons. "I asked him if he was happy about this. He said no."

I was happy about it. Even back then, I knew Wallace was a racist monster.

Years later, in high school, the principal announced over the loudspeaker that Reagan had been shot. Teachers were disturbed at how happy students were at the news. They told the class they remembered when Kennedy was shot. Some people were happy about that, too, but they were soon embarrassed and ashamed that they didn't conceal their glee. I don't think anyone ever said that about Wallace.